I Volunteer
by Berrybanana05
Summary: Arthur is chosen as a Tribute as planned- But then Merlin does the unthinkable and volunteers in his place, desperate to prevent Arthur's death.
1. I Volunteer

"Arthur Pendragon!"  
Arthur's stomach flipped.  
It wasn't that he wasn't expecting it. He knew it would be coming someday, that he could only rely on luck for so long before fate came knocking.  
But still.  
He'd hoped that he'd have a little more time.  
For a moment he lets himself wonder what life could've been…  
And then he returns to reality.

He steadies himself and raises a hand, calling out his name firmly. He forces his legs to move and slowly heads towards the platform, shooting glares at his men (having already warned them not to give their lives for his) to quell any last minute crazy ideas they might get in their heads.  
He never counted on Merlin intervening though.

It's a long, horrible moment of silence before desperate shouting breaks out as Merlin fights his way forwards, begging them to take him instead as he screams those AWFUL words again and again and again.  
Their friends try to hold him back of course, but Merlin slides out of their grip and stumbles forward up the steps and then not even the knights can save him from his own stupidity because Peacekeeper hands are on him, his back to their fronts and there's no going back.  
"I volunteer." He rasps one final time, his whole body trembling as he stands, facing Arthur on the stage.

Then the whole world shifts and the reality of the situation hits Arthur.  
 _Mer_ lin, sweet and gentle Merlin who cried when Arthur shot the deer has volunteered.  
Sweet, _stubborn_ Merlin who hasn't got a hope of survival just agreed- no, begged- to take Arthur's place.  
Arthur's place! Arthur, who had been trained from birth for this, who knew how to hunt, how to kill, who was infinitely stronger and faster and better equipped for the arena than _Merlin_ was in every possible way.  
And Merlin had still offered to take his place.

He screams.  
He screams and he thrashes and he begs them, begs with every last scrap of the soul he has to ignore his friend's offer- "he has a terrible mental affliction", "he's been at the gin again", "He won't last two seconds out there"-  
And they ignore him.  
They manhandle him off of the stage, more and more peacekeepers coming to help drag him away from Merlin as he fights them off one by one.  
They're never-ending.  
Always coming.  
It isn't long before he's overpowered.

He sinks into a sea of scrabbling limbs, faintly hearing the ring of that insufferable woman's voice ~"We have our tributes!"~  
Arthur makes one final attempt to call out but no air escapes his struggling lungs.  
It's only when his world fades into darkness that he realises that he can taste the bittersweet tang of tears on his lips.


	2. wake up, wake up

It isn't long before Arthur is awake again, flying forwards with a jerk and pushed back again with a gentle hand.  
"Arthur. Just try to breathe."  
It's Gwaine, his normally teasing voice tinged with worry and- well- something that sounds disturbingly like grief.  
"Gwaine-" Arthur croaks. He clears his throat.  
"What happened?"  
His vision is still blurred and he blinks to clear it, squinting slightly as his eyes adjust to the light. Slowly, the haze clears.  
He sees Gwaine and Percival but- no Merlin.  
Then it hits him.

Arthur lurches forwards. He's not quite sure if he's breathing, his chest rising and falling but his chest still burns. Still feels like it's caving in, like all his insides  
have been bunched up and rolled across nails and tied into knots.  
He feels the gentle touch of Percival's hand on his back, distantly registers soothing tones and calm voices.  
 _Merlin is gone.  
_ _Merlin is gone because you didn't protect him well enough.  
_ _Merlin is gone and it's_ ** _your fault._**

 _"_ _Arthur-"  
_ _"_ _Arthur, just breathe. It's alright, it's all alright just breathe. We need you."_

Arthur's shaking subsided slightly.  
"I-" He choked up and shook his head, forcing himself to focus. "Can I see him?"  
Looking up, he just about catches Gwaine and Percival's shared look.  
"You can. But you haven't got long. Just twenty minutes left."

Arthur is already staggering to his feet, already reaching for his coat.  
"Twenty minutes is more than enough to pummel some sense into him."  
He doesn't mean it, not really.  
But it calms his stuttering heart and it forces his brain to think.  
 _Merlin. A tribute.  
_ Something in his chest twists sharply at the thought.

He makes his way into the Justice Building, forcing the lid down on his steadily rising temper and then the doors are thrown open and there he is-  
Merlin.  
Sweet, innocent Merlin, a troubled and guilty expression plastered all over his face. He seems to be trying to disappear into the velvet chaises.  
He looks up.  
All of Arthur's anger melts away.  
He opens his arms and Merlin runs into them, shaking.  
"What the hell were you thinking?" Arthur whispers into his hair, running his hands up and down Merlin's back as the boy trembles.  
"I-"  
Merlin shakes his head.  
"I had to protect you Arthur. It's my destiny. I couldn't let you go out there alone."  
 _More of the destiny bullshit_.  
Arthur rolls his eyes.  
"No, you dumbass, it's my job to protect you. Now come on, I'm sure we can get this sorted out. Just a few forms, a bit of pleading and I can take your place,"  
Merlin shook his head and Arthur heard the doors open behind him.  
"Merlin, please-"

"No, Arthur."  
"Merlin!"  
"Don't hate me for anything I do out there, Arthur."

Arthur feels the peacekeepers pulling him away again, he feels the same choking darkness from before.  
"Promise me!" Merlin begs, eyes wide and pleading, hands outstretched in a prayer.  
"Promise me you won't hate me."

Arthur shakes his head, forcing words through his lips.  
"Merlin I could never hate you."  
The doors close with a slam and he wonders if those were the last words they would ever exchange, if that was their last conversation, ever.

He swallowed.  
The peacekeepers moved, forming an impenetrable wall between him and the doors.

"I promise."  
He whispered.


End file.
